‘Cease Your Dreaming’ is the third album from Sheffield-based band, the Buffalo Skinners. This album sees the band working with critically acclaimed producer Colin Elliot, who has previously worked with other Sheffield legends Richard Hawley and the Slow Club and apparently also did some work with Kylie Minogue.

The Buffalo Skinners blend together a mix of blues, folk, country along with classic 50's rock and roll and throw it all together to create a beautifully modern sound. The band, which comprises of Kieran Thorpe on keyboards, mandolin and vocals, James Nicholls on violin and vocals, Peter Secombe on guitar and vocals, Miles Stapleton on drums and finally Robbie Thompson on bass and vocals, would appear to be massive show-offs , as all except for Miles, have their chance to sing. As the band put it themselves, they have 'four front men' which by all accounts makes for a fantastic spectacle live. The studio has not quashed any of their charm. Elliot seems to have captured this live feeling well, conveying their energy and making them sound lose and natural.

One very lovable quality of the band is how upbeat they manage to make being broke and broken-hearted. The band make no bones about the hard times they have shared together, and draw on their collective experiences as youngsters coming up in the 'creative industry' on songs like 'Play To Lose', 'Sugar Cane' and 'Delta Blues', as well as personal experiences of love having gone wrong on songs like 'Come On Home' and Goodbye ro My First Love'.

This song writing style gives the album so much more depth. They have by the sound of it knowledge beyond their years. It is refreshing to hear such a wealth of life experience conveyed in a fresh way. They are not their writing about how crap life is because they have no money, or can't do what they want. They are up there spinning the yarns of a tough life that they have chosen to live and which is full of the joys of discovery.

It is not difficult to see why the Buffalo Skinners are winning praise from people like Cerys Matthews, Bob Harris and Janice Long ,and are set to play countless festivals this summer including Glastonbury. Personally I do hope they still continue to have at least some financial and transportation issues so they can continue to “keep it real.”